Machine for finishing tubular stereotype plates



May 26, 1925.

C. E. HOPKINS MACHINE FOR FINISHINGTUBULAR STEREOTYPE PLATES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Oct. 2, 1915 May 26, 1925. 1,539,567-

q. E. HOPKINS -MMFHINE FOR FINISHING vTUBULAR STEREOTYPE PLATES 'Original ile 00%,- 1915 5 SheetsSheet- 2 karat? 64m; if Haw #2 6. 33%, SMSW MaiyZG; .1925. 1,539,56?

c. E. HOPKINS .w'I cHIuE 1 0R FINISHING TUBULAR STEREOTYPE PLATES Original Filed Oct. 2, 1915 5 ts-Sheet a h, In

May 26, 1925. c. E. HOPKINS 1,539,567

MACHINE F03 FINISHING TUBULAR STEREOTYPE PLATES Original Filed 001:. 2, 1915 5 Sh eets sheet 4 May 26, 1925. x

C. E. HOPKINS MACHIKE FOR FINISHING TUBULAR STEREOTYPE PLATE Original Filed Oct. 2, 1915 sheetsfsheet 5 l Patented May 26, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. HOPKINS, OF PLAINFIELD, NEV JERSEY; THE PLAINFIELD TRUST COM- PANY, ADIVIINISTRATOR OF SAID CHAR-LES E. HOPKINS, DECEASED.

MACHINE FOR FINISHING TUBULAR STEREOTYPE PLATES.

Original application filed October 2, 1913, Serial No.

325,996. Divided and this application filed December 11,

tember 27, 1924.

To all w/wm it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. HorKiNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Plainfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Machine for Finishing Tubular Stereotype Plates, of which the following is a specification.

This is a division of my application for Patent Ser. No. 792,995, originally filed Oct. 2, 1913, renewed September 24, 1919, Serial 250. 325,996 and patented May 25, 1920, No. 1,341,557.

The purpose of this invention is to simplify and quicken the finishing of stereotype printing plates of practically a tubular form, having narrow openings throughout their length. These plates are for use on cylinders of printing presses in which the plate practically envelope the said cylinders instead of occupying, as in ordinary printing presses, only one half or less of the cirrumference.

The principal features of this invention are, means carried by the casting core for movin a plate cast thereon longitudinally off the core and delivering it to the finishing mechanism; means for simultaneously boring the interior surface and beveling the curved edges; means whereby a boring tool is made to revolve and advance about the inte for surface of a tubular plate and thereafter return in a straight line; means whereby the beveling tools are caused to simultaneously advance and thereafter retreat; means for automatically locking and unlocl ing a tubular plate held in a finishing cylinder; and many details and features of construction, hereinafter set forth.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the finishing mechanism, with part of the frame broken way and the finishing cylinder and co-acting parts in longitudinal section;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the end of the finishing mechanism showing the core in horizontal position partly in section on a plane just inside the frame:

Fig. 3 is an end view of one of the castplates;

veaeea. Renewed September 24,1919. Serial No.

1219, Serial No. 344,199. Renewed Sep- Fig. 4 is a plan of the bottom casting ring and plate conveyor racks;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the same;

Fig. 6 is a plan of the finishing mecha nism with parts in section;

Fig. 7 is an end View of the finishing mechanism showing thedrive and connections;

Fig. 8 is a cross section of the finishing mechanism taken on line 88 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow Fig. 9 is a plan of a portion of the tail trimming mechanism;

Fig. 10 is a detail vi ing rods;

Fig. 11 is a cross section of the finishing mechanism taken on line 1111 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow; 4

Figs. 12 and 13 are side views of a portion of the automatic stopping mechanism showing two positions of the parts;

Fig. 1 1 is a sectional view of a tail trimew of the clutch lochming mechanism taken on line 14-14 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 15 and 16 are enlarged side and top views of a feature of the tail trimming mechanism.

The invention is shown in a form in which the mechanism is supported in a framing composed of'side frames A and B, and cross pieces D and E. The core G, is formed as a complete tubular cylinder, and is mounted on one edge of a vertical bar. The opposite edge of said bar is fixed to a core carrying support 131. This supportlSl is provided with extending side arms 121 at the ends of which are formed hearings in which are fixed studs carrying- V-faced rollers 132. The V-faced rollers 132 travel on horizontal V tracks 133 formed on the top edge of frames A and B. A core operating lever 136 is fixed on one of the studs of the V rollers 132. By this construction the movement of the handle causes the core on the support to advance and simultaneously turn.

As is customary in all vertical casting apparatus, I have a bottom ring 142 for overlapping the bottom flat margin of the matrix find to form that wall of the casting cham- The bottom ring 142 is mounted between two brackets 143 made fast to the ends of the two-long racks 144.- These racks are positioned in recesses formed along the top surfaces of the core support 131. The arms of'the brackets 143Tnorm'all y extend beyond the lower end o'fthe core G.

When the coreis in. the horizontal position the top ends of the racks 144 engage in gear wheels 145," mounted on a horizontal cross shaft. 155 located in, bearings in the side frames A and B. On one end of this shaft is fast an operating crank lever 146.

the purpose of holding the racks 144 in mesh With the gears 145'there' isa looking device co-a cting with thecore turning lever This: device consists of a: springae tuated clamp lever 147, pivoted 'on the handleend of the core turninglever 136;. one end of thislever operates a pin 148, mounted in a bearing in the lever 136. (See Fig; When the core is horizontal this pin 148 engages in a reeess ina locking plate 149, positioned on the side frame A (Fig. 1); By thusmounting the bottom ring on racks arranged to intermittingly engage with 2 operating gears I have a conveyor for moving a plate cast on the core, longitudin'ally off and positioning it in afinishing cylinder, finClfllSOStMtll'l}: a mechanism for boring and trimming as hereinafter described; I

Having indicated the operation of the casting core I willnow describe the means I; have shown for finishing the tubular stereotype plate P after the casting has been"- conveyed from the casting mechanism:

' A tubular platefinishing cylinder H alignedwith the casting core G, when liorizontal, is supported by brackets 200' made fast to the upper inside faces of' the. side frames'A andB. In bearings 48 and 49 is supported a cross driving shaft 47 driven by a pulley 61. On this shaft is a helical gear driving a: helical gear 6, mounted on a worm-shaft 5, andformingpart of the clutchfor operating the tool shafts. Axially aligned within the; cylinder H, and supported in' bearings 1 and 2 is a tool carrying shaft 3. This shaft 3 is made hollow throughout its=length, and is provided with a slotted opening 4, which is" made. somewhat longer than the length of the finishing cylinder H; j V

The worm shaft 5 1s mounted in bearings formed at the ends-ofthe hollow shaft This worm shaft OperatesWithin, and extends throughout the length-of the hollow shaft and beyond at one end to a bearing formed in a supporting bracket 89." Mounted on this extending end oftlie worm shaft 5, besides the helical drivinggearfi, is a slide clutch 7 anda fixedclutch jaw 8. The

clutch 7 is driven by a pin 9, which is fixed in the driving gear 6. Fast on the adjacent end of the hollow shaft 3 is a second jaw 10: The sliding clutch 7 isoperated; along the worm shaft by' 'a roller 11, mounted on a rock arm 12, carried by a rock shaft 51. By rocking the arm 12 toward the jaw 10,. as will appear later,the pin 9 engages in a recess in the said jaw and causes the hollow tool shaft3 to revolve with the driving gear 6. By rocking it in the opposite direction the pin disengages from the jaw 10 undengagesthe jaw 8 fast on; the wormv shaft, whereupon the worm shaft. revolves ant-1:. the

hollow shaft becomes fixed as hereafter de- 7 V scribed.

'M-ounted on thewo'rm shaft?) is a worme'd bearing providedwith atool support" extension 13. This support is caused to travel back and forth'in the slot 4 in the hollow and'thereby is advanced along the length of the groove 4, whereupon the clutch mechanism reverses and causes the hollow' shaft to become stationary and the worm shaft 5 to revolve, which causes the tool to" move-in the opposite directionand back to- .the end.

Edge beveling toolsor trimmers are mounted in supports and-slidingly keyed to, the hollow shaft 3, and located one ateach end of the finishing cylinder The tool 15, forbeveling the bottom end of a plate, is held at an angle in a sliding support 16, located at the front end of the cylinder I-l. The tool 17 forseparating'thei riser portion of the plateis carried by a fixed tool sup port 18 located at the opposite endof the said cylinder. The tool 17 is dovetailed to the angle end of a slide key 19made fast in a slide piece 20. (See Figs. 15 and 16)'.

The movementof the slide piece 20 causes the angle end of the key 19 to advance the tool 17 along an angular bearing in the tool support 18, and thereafter return.

These bevelingtools are made to revolve with the hollow shaft 3, during which revo-- lution they are caused to advance toward each other, the tool 15 a sufficient distance to engage and bevel the lower end of the plate and the tool 17 sufficient topass through the said plate at an angle a-i'idthereby simultaneous separate the riser and bevel the type portion of the aforesaid plate. This operation occurs during there volving of the hollow shaft 3, and simulta neously with the boring operation, the trimming tools being returned at'the same time as the boring tool to their starting positions.

The means for advancing and returning the beveling tools comprises a grooved cam wheel 21 mounted on a cam shaft A, worm 46 mounted on the driving shaft 47 meshes with a large worm gear 45 fast on the end of the cam shaft 22 for driving the latter. In the groove of the wheel 21 operates a stud fixed on the loose end of a lever 23. This lever is fast on the bottom end of a vertical shaft 24, journalled in a bracket fast on the bottom side of one of the supporting brackets 200. (Figs. 1, 8 and 9). To the top end of this shaft is fast a two-toothed pinion 25, the teeth mesh in recesses formed near the ends of rods 26 and 27 which rods are located in guide ways formed in the side walls of a slot 28 in the finishing cylinder H. The opposite ends of these rods 26 and 27 are attached to brackets 29, provided with wrist bands 30 located in grooves formed in the tool supports 16 and 18. By this arrangement each revolution of the cam shaft 22 advances, and thereafter returns, the trimming tools.

For the purpose of alternately locking and unlocking the hollow shaft 3 and the worm shaft 5, there are arranged two upright locking rods 3131, each operating in a guideway aligned with and beneath jaws 8 and 10. These rods are.

the clutch pivoted at their bottom ends to the opposing ends of a rock lever 32, which is pivoted at its center to a bracket 33. This rock lever is provided with an operating arm 34 formed at its end with a tooth which engages in a recess in a slide 35, located in a slideway formed in the bracket 33. The opposite end of the slide 35 is provided with a roller which engages in a recess of a cam 36 fast on the cam shaft 22. The top ends of the rods 31 are formed with V points 31, and rocking the rock engages one or the other V in like V re cesses formed in the faces of the clutch jaws 8 or 10, and thereby positions and holds them stationary.

The clutch and locking mechanism are so timed that the hollow shaft is stopped and locked with the slot 4 down, so that the boring tool 14 passes between the two straight edges of a plate held in the cylinder, and over the slot 28, so as not to obstruct the moving of a plate into or out of the cylinder, as hereafter described.

The plates, when cast, are made a trifie smaller than the bore of the finishing cylinder H, so that they can be readily moved into or out of the cylinder, but as it is necessary to hold the plate firmly against the interior surface of the finishing cylinder during the finishing operations, and at the same time prevent it from revolving with the tools, there is provided a stop and locking mechanism, by which the plate is held by one edge and the opposite edge forced ahead so as to cause the plate to expand to the diameter of the cylinders concavity. The stop consists of a fiat bar 37 (see Fig. 8) ast to one of the side walls of the slot lever 32, alternately,

28 formed throughout the length of the cylinder in its bottom side. This bar 37 is made to project into the cylinder H, about the thickness of a plate. A-series of locking levers 38, are mounted on a rock shaft- 39 located so that the levers loose ends extend into the cylinder, through the slot 28 so as to engage the plate by the edge opposite that held by the fixed stop on the bar 37.

The rock shaft 39., upon which the look ing levers 38 are fixedis caused to rock the said levers into engagement with the straight edge of a stereotype plate in the cylinder H, by a spring 40, mounted on a rod 41. One end of this rod is attached to the loose end of a lever 42, fast on the rock shaft 39, the opposite end operating through a bearing in the side frame B. The loose ends of the locking levers 38 are normally held in an open position by a roller 43 mounted on the lever 42 and engaging the high portion, of the face of a cam 44 on the cam shaft 22. The purpose of making the locking device spring actuated is to automatically adjust, by expansion, the face of the tubular plate against the face of the finishing cylinder.

A half circular raised track 54 is formed on the side face of the worm gear 45. Mounted in bearings formed on the cross pieces D is a vertical shaft 51 on which are mounted short rock arms 52 and 53, the

loose ends of which are arranged to engage and disengage in sequence the side face of the curved track 54, when the worm gear is in motion and thereby rock the clutch rock lever 12, mounted near the .top of the rock shaft 51 and through the said lever operate the tool sliding clutch ja-W 7. By

this means each half revolution of the worm 1 gear 45 shifts the clutch 7 in one direction and the next half returns it, during which complete revolution the finishing mech anism makes a cycle of movements.

There is provided a trip mechanism for automatically starting the finishing operations, after the plate has been conveyed from the casting core G, and positioned in the finishing cylinder, and thereafter automatically stopping the same.

For this purpose the driving pulley 61 is made fast to one end of a sleeve 62 which is mounted loose on the cross driving shaft 47 and extends through the bearing 49. (See Fig. 6). To the opposite end of this sleeve is fixed a clutch jaw 63, which is kept in constant motion by the driving pulley and its source of power.

Facing this jaw 63 is a co-acting jaw 64 which is mounted on the'said shaft 47 so as to operate with the shaft and yet slide into or out of engagement with the driven jaw. The sliding jaw 64 is provided with a recess about its circumference in which a stud 65 mounted on a rock arm 66oper 2 71'" operating in a barin fmo u'nted on a spring rod 68 One end" of this rod isprovided with a; stud 69 which islocated in: the camway 67'. The other end'ofthe spring rod passes through stea ing fast on: the top end of a Vertical shaft fast to the rear finishing cylinder'suppoit 200.- To-the'bot tom at this vertical shaft is hired a two ar-ihed rock 1eve1--72.

7 5, operating in bearing? formed on the cross piece'E: Mounted on the bottom end of this vertical shaft belcw theloose arm is' a= short arm 76, which is held fixed so as to rock with t-he'sha'ft '65 The' looseend of this short arm is'pr'ovidedwith a stud which isinad'e to operate in aslot'W made about the center of the-loose arm 74: Fast to the top end of this vertibal shaft 7'5is a. lever 7 81 The loose end of this lever is pe sition ed so as to engage the sides of a? pro I jction 79forme d* on one side of the our ring; support 143, of the castingmechanism. (SeeFig; 4)

In operation the plate conveyor of the V casting niechanisxh is moved along the" core G until? the bottom ring 142 has moved the cast plate into position'rinthe finishing-cylim der. Near theend of this movement the forward side of the projectioh 79"engag es with the; tri'p lever. 78, pushing it. ahead against theaction-of a spring 80, andyas't-he l forward moveinentcontinues; the projection passespast the end of the lever, whereupon thespring 'returi1s the lever to. its first positionyandintothe return path'of the pro= j ection. During this movement of the trip arm the stud in theshort arm has'travell'ed back and-forth in-the slot 77. A Upon the reverse movementof the conveyor the projection T9'com'es, again into'rcontact'with the triplevelr and pushesit iii the opposite directlioii which act causes the stud in-the slot 77 toturn the loose arm 74 and through the connection the spring: rod 68 turns and forces the stud 69" to Inoveup the slot of theclutc-h rock 7 arm" 66- to and over the apex; whereupon the" springz forces the rod" 68 ahead and turns; the rock lever 66, which 7 action moyesthe jaws 64:;into engagement with the driving-jaw 63, and thereby starts erases,

I the finishing mechanismoii its cycle of op- 71 through a slide tri To'on'e' of the arms. a cohnee'ting rod 73," the opposite end of which rodis v to the swinging end of a'rdd arm-74 which is-1o0sely pivoted to a short, Vertical shaft swam On the eompletion of the cycle of o ra tions the jaws 64 will be forced onto con nection with the operatingjaw 63 by the reverse movement of the sprihg rock" shaft 7 bar 84],: one end of which is'pivoted tothe'second arm 72' fast on! the said rocl'f shaft-7'1, and t'he'oppo'site end of which is supp'bited by a yoke 850perating about the cam shaft 224 and along: side of the cam- 36; Tl'ieendof the bar 84 is provided with a pitotedtrip' arm 83, which is normally held horizontal" the yoke 85. Tlh'e loose end of the triparm 83- is provided witlr a i ecess 82. F astj in; the side face of the cam 36 is a trip pin 8-1, which engages in the recess 82 near' th'eend" of eachrevolntion'ot the cam 36 and forces" the bar 84' back, and the clutch's ii-ing'i bar 68 to draw the stud 69 over the high point the cam-way 67', whereupon the spring forces the bar ahead andLthei jaws out' of engagement. (See F igs;=6,:1*2 and1'3:)

Figure I2. shows the stop trip mechanism at rest and Figure 13 showsthe latch in two positions; in full lines just before the pin" on the rocking' cam= comes into engagement with the recess in the tri passing over the apex of the-cam groove67' in the clutch operating arnr 66. i At this point the jaw operating spring. forces" the jaws outof engagement and at the sometime h For the :epu'rp ose of supporting and; guidl.

ing the tubular? plate while being pushed ofi theco'reaiid into positionin' the finishing cylinder there is arranged a.. line of rails;

The first rail' is fast on the top of the finishing shaft bearing 1. A second rail 91j is mounted on the-top side ofthe hollow shaft 3, andia third rail 92 is mounted oirthetop side/of thebearingQ of the hollowshaft and onrtop of a bearing formed on the bracket 89,: whichvsupports the end of the worm Shtift 5'. V v I I By this means, when a plate is; beingejected from the casting core the supporting rail; 90 ent ers recess 18; formed in the cast P te B, Pl te s m ted a n he re' e seg g th r 9 QW e h ll Shaft, n th eaf er t 2 Wh n he'r l 9 th ckins e e fi ift. t P at off the'rail and seat it up; against the inside of the cylinder H1 While the boringoperatibn is taking place the rail 91, rotating; with the shaft 3 inside the plate acts as a means for carrying thesha ings the lower part f t P p rt ay a 6 down through the slot 28, atthe bottoin of h n hi y inder- Aft t e r s heasw bee Ii searated byi the bowling tool it re mains supportedon the rail 92.

V arm," anduin' dotted lines' just asthe sprmgt bar stud is;

around so they drop A hand operated ejector is arranged for pushing the finished plate out of the cylinder. This ejector consists of a sprocket 95 mounted on a short shaft 96 operating in bearings formed in a bracket 97 fast on the front end of the finishing cylinder H. A like sprocket 98 is mounted on a stud fast in a bracket located at the opposite end of the finishing cylinder. An endless chain 99 carried by the sprockets operates through a recess 100 in the cylinders case and over the top of the cylinders ribs. This chain is provided with two ejector fingers 201 :20]. positioned so that, as the sprockets are revolved by the handle 202 one or the other will engage the rear edge of a tubular plate and push it out of the finishing cylinder and along its supporting rail. During this operation the riser portion is pushed along in advance of the now finished plate until the said riser drops off the outer end of the said rail 92, free from the machine.

Although I have illustrated and described a specific and detailed embodiment of my invention, I am aware of the fact that many modifications can be made therein, within the scope thereof as expressed in the claims, therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction, but what I do claim is 1. In. an apparatus for making tubular stereotype plates, the combination with a movable casting core, of a plate finishing cylinder for supporting a tubular stereotype plate, a finishing tool for boring the interior surface of said plate, edge finishing tools, and means started into operation by the motion of said core for operating said tools to engage and finish a plate supported in the finishing cylinder.

2. In a machine for finishing stereotype plates, the combination of a finishing cylinder. an endless chain conveyor therein, for moving plates therealong, and finishing mechanism in said cylinder.

3. In a machine for finishing tubular stereotype plates, the combination of a shaft, edge beveling and boring tools mounted thereon, means for revolving said shaft, and

means for moving said tools longitudinally along said shaft.

4. In a machine for finishing tubular stereotype plates, the combination of a finishing cylinder, means for looking a tubular plate in said cylinder, a boring tool arranged to engage and Worm its Way through the tubular plate, and a revolvable radial plate for removing the shavings made by the tool from the interior surface of the said plate.

In a machine for finishing tubular stereotype plates, the combination of a plate supporting cylinder, means for looking a plate in said cylinder, a boring tool, an edge beveling tool, a riser separating and beveling tool, means for operating the said tools to finish a plate locked in said finishing cylinder, and means for automatically stopping the said finishing tools.

6. In a machine for finishing tubular stereotype plates, the combination of a plate supporting cylinder, means for looking a plate in said cylinder, finishingtools, means for operating said tools to finish the plate, and means operated bysaid operating means for unlocking said plate after the finishing operations and withdrawing the locking means for-thereafter stopping the operation of the tools.

7. In a machine for finishing tubular stereotype plates, the combination of a plate finishing cylinder provided with a slot, finishing tools, and means for aligningsaid tools with said slot.

8. In a machine for finishing tubular stereotype plates having a longitudinal slot, the combination of afinishing cylinder having a longitudinal slot, a shaft supported in bearings centrally aligned at each end of the finishing cylinder and having radial supports, finishing tools on said shaft, and means whereby the straight edges of the slot in the plate are guided to pass on opposite sides of said supports for the bearings.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aiiixed my signature.

CHARLES E. HOPKINS. 

